Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Agriculture and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area | USDA NIFA AFRI 005942

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 005942

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Agriculture and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NIFA AFRI 005942) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.310. It is aimed at helping U.S. agriculture and forestry both mitigate and adapt to climate variability and long-term climate change. In practical terms, the program is designed to fund work that cuts greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural and forest production systems, expands carbon sequestration in soils and biomass, and strengthens the ability of farms, ranches, and forestlands to remain productive under more variable weather patterns and changing climate conditions.

The opportunity emphasizes measurable, long-term resource and climate outcomes. The stated program-wide targets include reducing the use of energy, nitrogen fertilizer, and water by 10 percent, while increasing carbon sequestration by 15 percent, achieved through more resilient agricultural and forest production systems. These targets point applicants toward solutions that improve efficiency and sustainability at the same time: for example, practices or technologies that reduce fuel and electricity use, improve nitrogen management to lower nitrous oxide emissions and nutrient losses, optimize irrigation and water conservation, and increase the amount of carbon stored in soils, trees, and perennial vegetation. The broader intention is to build production systems that are not only lower-emitting but also better able to handle stressors such as drought, heat, shifting pest and disease pressures, extreme precipitation, or longer growing season variability.

Funding is offered through two main pathways: multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants. The integrated projects component signals that NIFA is looking for proposals that do more than basic research alone. Strong proposals typically connect research with education and extension so that new knowledge is developed, translated into practical recommendations, and delivered to stakeholders such as producers, land managers, advisors, and local or regional decision-makers. The inclusion of education components suggests support for curriculum development, workforce training, and student development aligned with climate-smart agriculture and forestry. The extension component highlights outreach, demonstration, and adoption, helping ensure that successful approaches move beyond publications into real-world implementation.

FASE grants are also supported under this challenge area, which generally indicates mechanisms intended to strengthen or broaden participation in agricultural research, including certain investigator development and institutional capacity-building objectives, depending on the specific FASE category used. The announcement makes clear that eligibility depends on the project type and that applicants should consult the program documentation sections referenced in the notice (Part III, A for eligible applicants and Part II, C for the descriptions of project types). In other words, who can apply and under what conditions is tied to whether the proposal is submitted as an integrated project, a specific FASE mechanism, or another eligible project structure defined in the full solicitation.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a grant in the agriculture funding activity category, offered by NIFA. The original closing date listed for this particular notice was November 17, 2016, and the record shows a creation date of July 12, 2016. While this provides the historical timeline for that specific posting, the underlying AFRI challenge area theme reflects a continuing federal priority area, and similar climate-related AFRI solicitations often reappear in later years with updated priorities, deadlines, and funding levels. The summary takeaway is that this program is focused on funding science-based, applied, and stakeholder-connected work that reduces emissions, increases carbon storage, and improves the resilience of U.S. agricultural and forest systems, with an explicit push toward integrated projects that combine research with education and extension to drive measurable on-the-ground outcomes.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Agriculture and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-07-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-11-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 005942

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: